Music lovers can find something to sing about from the time the 9th Annual 7th Inning Stretch Festival opens at 3:00 PM until it closes at 10:00 PM.

On Saturday, Aug. 5, the festival, with two music stages and plenty of food, trinkets, and games, will fill the streets on three sides of Shelby's uptown Court Square and spill over onto South Lafayette Street to the Graham Street intersection.

The festival is the opening act for The American Legion World Series, scheduled for Aug. 10-15, at Shelby High School's Keeter Stadium. The local ALWS committee initiated the festival as a thank you for the community's support of the annual national baseball tournament.

Before country music hitmakers Greylan James and Chris

Lane turn up the volume on the main stage at Lafayette and Warren streets, local performers will ring out with praise songs of Contemporary Christian music. The Hometown Stage, to be set oupn Washington Street and sponsored by Food Lion, will be the platform for the Hope Worship Collective, Destiny Life Worship, and Falling forty-two.

3:15 PM: The Hope Worship Collective, a ministry of Shelby's Hope Community Church, writes and produces its own original music with the goal of pointing people to the story of hope in Jesus.

4:30 PM: Destiny Life Worship, a multicultural team of believers from Destiny Life Center Church, covers all genres of Christian music, including their first original release "Back to the Altar" in 2020.

5:20 PM: Just when the crowd thinks it's pretty loud, the Crest Drum Line will increase the volume.

5:30 PM: Falling forty-two is a four-piece band that combines an energetic stage presence and uncommon instrumentation to provide a unique take on several musical genres.

When Greylan James, noted for his guitar acumen and his songwriting, takes the stage at 7:00 PM, the crowd will change musical gears for country music. The final act of the evening at 8:30 PM is headliner Chris Lane, known for "Fix," "Howdy," and "Big, Big Plans," among other hits.

Throughout the afternoon, festivalgoers can enjoy food and crafts from festival vendors and from Uptown restaurants and shops.

For more information on the festival, visit www.7thinningstretch.cc. For more information on the 2023 ALWS, visit www.americanlegionworldseries.com.